Which of the following is NOT part of the root cause analysis process?

• A. Document QRE or incident
• B. Blame individuals
• C. Investigate where the process broke down
• D. Communicate the findings with all team members

Answer: (B)

Root cause analysis looks at how a problem happened by examining the process and systems, not who is at fault. Documenting a QRE or incident is part of this because it creates a clear record of what occurred to support systematic analysis. Investigating where the process broke down helps reveal the steps, controls, or gaps that allowed the issue to occur, guiding targeted improvements. Communicating the findings with all team members is essential to share lessons learned and prevent recurrence. Blaming individuals, on the other hand, shifts focus away from the underlying system and undermines the goal of preventing future problems, so it is not part of the root cause analysis process.